Designating the Harlem Renaissance Cultural District

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation to celebrate the rich history of Harlem as the community celebrated the 51st Harlem Week festival. The two new laws will rename the 110 St-Central Park North subway station 110 St-Malcolm X Plaza and will empower the Council on the Arts to designate the Harlem Renaissance Cultural District as a region of cultural significance.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

First of all, this day belongs to so many people. It's a long time coming. It's been talked about, debated, and those are the kind of bills I like to sign. When you have a leader like Cordell Cleare who would not take no for an answer — not that I was going to say, no — but you do not want to get in her way. Right, Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins? She's a powerhouse. So you have an incredible representative. Also, Jordan Wright, the co-sponsor in the New York State Assembly. Those two individuals really are the reason we talk about a man and a legacy.

It's also Harlem Week here, and it is bittersweet as we launch a celebration that I've attended many, many times. The food is incredible, the dance, the comradery, the love, the pride — the pride in Harlem is on showcase for the rest of the world. And more people are invited to come here and understand what Harlem looks like and feels like: the senses, the smells and the long legacy of struggles that were borne in this community.

So it's bittersweet because we lost the founder of Harlem Week, Lloyd Williams. Let's give him another round of applause in his memory. His wife, Valerie Williams. And it's hard. I got to know Lloyd, you can't know Harlem without knowing Lloyd. So we went out many times and talked about the challenges but also his belief in this community, the sense of optimism as leading the businesses to greater days.

So he'll be missed, but we carry on in his absence, just as we've had to carry on in the absence of Malcolm X, a life struck down so young, leaving a devastated family. And the families who are here today, please raise your hands and give a shout out if you're related to the dynamic, incredible individuals who shaped the course of history. You'll be hearing from them, including his daughter.

Now, it's got to be hard to come here. You didn't grow up with a daddy. I know you wrote about it, great author, Dr. Shabazz. But it’d be better to have grown up with your daddy than to have a book. And so the pain of the family is palpable. I join with the family as I did on his 100th birthday. Look how many decades of influence were sacrificed.

But you also called for transparency, a call to release the files. Now, if the family wants the files released, I say, release the files. Come on, Department of Justice, release all the files, you know what I mean?

So obviously, I'm digressing from my prepared remarks, as I often do and get in trouble. But we have other great leaders here. I want to thank Andrea Stewart Cousins, as I mentioned, you’ll be hearing from her momentarily. The leader of this great city, our Mayor, Eric Adams. Thank you for participating in this great event. You'll also hear from someone in addition, Demetrius Crichlow, who's the President of the MTA here, who has helped us get over the finish line. Ilyasah Shabazz, as I mentioned, the daughter, she's going to have a powerful story to talk about.

And also, a young man named Kayden Hern. Now, those of you who participated in my historic inauguration back in January of 2022 know that I had a special guest. First of all, Hazel Dukes was there. How do we not miss Hazel Dukes and pray for her every day. But she was there to do the swearing in. I also teased Hazel because I had a brand new grandbaby who she bellowed out her enthusiasm so loudly that this quiet baby started bursting into tears. So that's why there's no photos of my grandbaby at the inauguration, but I got over it, Hazel.

But another young man was there, a young man who I literally discovered on the streets of this incredibly talented community, Kayden Hern. He was standing on the street in front of the Apollo Theater and I happened to walk by and I said, “Are you here to see somebody?”

It was a long line to get in. It was Amateur Night. Anybody go to Amateur Night? Okay.

A lot of people went from being amateurs to pros getting their start there, including Kayden Hern, because he said, “No, I'm here to deliver a poem.”

I said, “What's your poem?”

And he delivered it from memory, standing on the streets in front of the Apollo Theater.

And I said, “Young man,” — this is before I won the election, I said, “If I win the election, I'm going to make you my poet laureate.”

Kayden, please stand up, take a round of applause. It’s been three years, almost four. I said I owed him an ice cream cone and I'm making it up today. We're getting an ice cream cone. But you'll be hearing from him in a few minutes. So this is an incredible lineup.

But most importantly, not only will I be signing a bill momentarily, I'll be doing that in a couple seconds — so when you hear from Senator Cordell Cleare, she can talk about mission accomplished, but I have to sign it first. I have to sign it first. So what we'll have, based on that, but also with a stroke of a pen, I've decided to designate the Harlem Renaissance Cultural District, enshrining that into law as well. All of you who fought for that – got it done. We did it. We got it done. The district will stretch from 110th Street to 155th, from Fifth to the Hudson River, marking this as sacred ground for black art and culture and music and thought.

So just like the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, we're having our own, and in fact, it's officially designated. It'll talk about the struggles, the triumphs. But also the second bill to honor Malcolm X, as I mentioned, a life cut short. I want to thank the Imam for his reflections on that life. Thank you, Imam. And a reminder, you talked about the babies crying when they're born, I am New York's first mom-Governor. That's personal to me too. So you're spot on, Imam.

But also from this day forward, the 110th Street-Central Park North subway station will have a brand new name. We heard the preview of it as we rode over here just a few moments ago. 110th Street – Malcolm X Plaza Station.

You'll hear more about his life and his legacy, but it's extraordinary. Read the books, read his writings about what he telegraphed 60 years ago. It’s 60 years — marks his assassination not far from here. The life he lived up until then, the profound difference he made as a young man who was converted in prison, converted to Islam, and his life was forever changed. So that's the person we're talking about — an example to all of us on what are we doing with the time we have here on earth. If he could do that and try to change the world in his short life, what are we waiting for?

All of us must continue on that journey because what he talked about, the journey for real racial justice, is not yet over today.

So the fight continues, my friends. And the fighters that you're going to see on the front lines today, Senator Cordell Cleare, come on up. It's going to be official. Let's get this done. Our sponsor, all of our elected leaders. Let's get this bill signed.